RESEARCH - The mechanism of action of cannabis and cannabinoids

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Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd. 2006 Jan 21;150(3):128-31.

[The mechanism of action of cannabis and cannabinoids]

[Article in Dutch]

wk.scholten@...

The effect of cannabis can be explained on the basis of the function of the

cannabinoid receptor system, which consists of CB receptors (CB1, CB2),

endoligands to activate these receptors and an enzyme--fatty acid

amidohydrolase--to metabolize the endoligands. The endoligands of the

cannabinoid receptor system are arachidonic acid-like substances, and are

called endocannabinoids. Indications exist that the body also contains

arachidonic acid-like substances that inhibit fatty acid amido hydrolase.

Various cannabinoids have diverse effects on the receptors, functioning as

agonists, antagonists or partial antagonists, as well as affecting the

vanilloid receptor. Many known effects of cannabis can be explained on the

basis of this mechanism of action as can the use of cannabis in various

conditions including multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, glaucoma,

nausea, vomiting and rheumatoid arthritis.

PMID: 16463612

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed & cmd=Retrieve & dopt=Abstra\

ctPlus & list_uids=16463612

Not an MD